


the moments in between

by colazitron



Series: 2020 December Prompts [14]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:40:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28077126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/colazitron/pseuds/colazitron
Summary: Jim and Spock share a quiet moment.
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock
Series: 2020 December Prompts [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2036338
Comments: 8
Kudos: 46





	the moments in between

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nofeartina](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nofeartina/gifts).



> For Tina, who wanted Kirk and Spock and Spock's first snow.

"Everything alright, Commander?" Jim asks, more because he thinks it'll startle Spock out of his odd trance than because he thinks there's something actually the matter with him. They've only just started their five year mission a little while ago and so far, despite the Enterprise's rather bombastic (ha!) maiden voyage, it's been smooth sailing, so to speak. This is just a routine mission, barely more than an escort for a Federation official who's moving planet. There's no seeking out of new frontiers here, just checking on the perimeter in the backyard to make sure everything is where it's supposed to be.

And since they beamed down literally less than a minute ago, Jim is reasonably sure Spock can't possibly have already contracted some sort of fatal virus or anything. The scans were clear after all. (Even though he's sure Bones would have a thing or fifty to say about all sorts of things that might go wrong anyway.)

Spock, as intended, blinks himself out of his stupor and gives Jim a curt nod. To say their relationship has improved since the Kobayashi Maru hearing would be an understatement. But to say it's now all sunshine and roses would be an equally big exaggeration. But there's respect there, and honestly Jim prefers respect to simple affection. Respect is solid. Respect you can use as a foundation and build on.

"Yes, Captain. There's no need for concern," Spock says. Jim's gotten better at reading the shifting dunes in his desert-dry tone, and he's pretty sure that one's an oasis somewhere between amusement and thinking Jim's an inexplicably intelligent idiot. Jim likes that tone. He's always delighted in subverting people's expectations. Usually that meant falling short of them, but ever since Pike basically dared him to do better, he's started taking a particular pleasure in that too.

Still, even though Spock's said he's alright, he's still looking around cautiously, his steps all very deliberate as he strides back over to catch up with the rest of the landing party. It's… unusual. Not unusual enough to warrant worry, but certainly unusual enough to warrant  _ attention _ . Spock's his first officer, after all. Jim can't have him falling ill over some misplaced pride or an accident they could have prevented if only he'd gotten his head out of his ass.

So he makes sure to catch up with Spock and fall into step beside him, trying for casual, and falling colossally short, if the raised eyebrow he receives for his troubles is any indication. Man, those eyebrows really are something.

"Something on your mind, Captain?" Spock asks, seemingly unwilling to wait Jim out.

"No disrespect meant, Commander, but you seem… off," he hedges.

Spock's spine straightens like a reflex, body going stiff all over. But he chances a glance at Jim and then relaxes again. For Spock's level of relaxed, that is.

"You're aware, of course, that Vulcan was a planet of higher average temperatures than Earth, for instance," he says.

"Sure," Jim agrees readily. "Desert all over, right?"

"Quite," Spock says. "As such, I have never before encountered… snow. In the wild."

Jim gapes at him. "You're kidding."

"I assure you, Captain, I am not."

"But you're  _ science _ . And you've been on  _ Earth _ ."

Spock moves a single muscle in his face that would have been a shrug on a human.

"Well, I'll be damned," Jim says, and though he isn't quite sure, he thinks Spock's cheeks might turn a little green. He bites back a smile, and does his best to move on as nonchalantly as possible. "Well, then, take it in, Commander. You've got quite an abundance of it here."

He does, too. As opposed to Vulcan, this planet is perpetually cold, just a little bit too far from its sun to ever see a spring that melts the ice. It's harsh, and hard to believe anything can live here, but beautiful too.

"It is… quite beautiful to look at," Spock confesses, voice pitched low as though he doesn't want anyone else to overhear.

Jim claps him on the back comradely. "It is, isn't it."

The landing party is already a ways ahead of them, but for a few more moments they just stand still and take it all in. Jim adds it to the growing pile of building blocks for their relationship. Respect is good, but these things, they're important too. They fill in the gaps.

He's got five more years to collect moments like these. and he's looking forward to it.

**The End**


End file.
